Erongo Desalination Plant

Erongo Desalination Plant

Location of Erongo Desalination Plant
Desalination plant
Location	Wlotzkasbaken, Erongo Region, Namibia
Coordinates	22°22′19″S14°26′28″E / 22.37194°S 14.44111°E / -22.37194; 14.44111
Estimated output	20,000,000 cubic meters (2.0×1010 L) of water annually
Extended output	45,000,000 cubic meters (4.5×1010 L) of water annually
Cost	N$2.5 billion (US$153 million)
Technology	Reverse osmosis, Chlorination
Operation date	1 June 2010;14 years ago (2010-06-01)

The Erongo Desalination Plant, also known as the Orano Desalination Plant, is a sea water desalination plant in Namibia. The facility was constructed between 2008 and 2010 by Orano Mining Namibia, part of the French nuclear fuel cycle company Orano, which at the time was known as Areva Ressources Namibia, part of Areva.

The desalination plant was established to supply water to Orano’s Trekkopje Uranium Mine . At the time this plant was commissioned, it was the largest reverse osmosis desalination plant in Southern Africa. ^{[1] [2]}

Location

The desalination plant is located in the Namib Desert, near the settlement of Wlotzkasbaken, in the Erongo Region of Namibia. The plant is located approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Swakopmund, the nearest large town. ^[1] Swakopmund is located approximately 391 kilometres (243 mi) by road, west of Windhoek, the capital and largest city in the country. ^[3] The geographical coordinates of Erongo Desalination Plant are 22°22'19.0"S, 14°26'28.0"E (Latitude:-22.371944; Longitude:14.441111). ^[4]

Overview

The Erongo Desalination Plant was developed and is owned by Orano Resources Namibia (formerly Areva Resources Namibia). The purified drinking water was primarily intended for use in Orano's uranium mine known as the Trekkopje Mine, located near Arandis, Namibia. ^[5] The clean water has to be pumped from the plant to Arandis, a straight-line distance of about 60 kilometres (37 mi) and a road distance of approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi). ^[6] The plant is operated by Nafasi Water, a "water technology and water utility service company", based in Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa. ^[1]

The potable water is then sold to NamWater, the national water utility company, for distribution to the city of Swakopmund, the nearby mines and other areas of Erongo Region. Output can be varied according to demand ranging from 12,000,000 cubic meters (1.2×10¹⁰ L) annually to 26,000,000 cubic meters (2.6×10¹⁰ L), with the present infrastructure. If the need arose new infrastructure can be added to supply 45,000,000 cubic meters (4.5×10¹⁰ L) annually. ^{[1] [5]}

The raw sea water is taken through the following processes, during purification: (a) screen filtration (b) ultrafiltration (c) reverse osmosis (d) limestone contact and (e) chlorination. ^[5]

Cost

The development of this water treatment plant cost N$2.5 billion (approx. US$153 million) in 2010. ^{[1] [7]}

Other developments

In July 2022, the owners of this facility signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with InnoSun (a subsidiary of the French firm InnoVent) to design, build, own, operate and maintain a 5 MW solar power station and supply that energy to Erongo Desalination Plant for a 10-year contract term, starting on the date of commercial commissioning. Construction is expected to start during the second half of 2022, with commissioning expected in 2023. Orano expects the new solar farm to reduce the desalination plant's carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent or nearly 10,000 metric tonnes annually. ^[7]

See also

• Desalination
• Witsand Solar Desalination Plant
• Namwater Desalination Plant
• Bethanie Desalination Plant

References

1. Donald Matthys (3 June 2020). "Erongo Desalination Plant Provided 55 Million Cubic Meters Potable Water To The Region During 10-Year Operation Period". Namibia Economist . Windhoek, Namibia. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
2. Inès Magoum (14 June 2021). "Namibia: Towards the construction of a new desalination plant in the coastal zone". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
3. Google (21 August 2021). "Road Distance Between Windhoek, Namibia And Wlotzkasbaken, Namibia With Interactive Map" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
4. Google (21 August 2021). "Location of Erongo Desalination Plant" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
5. Adam Hartman (5 December 2019). "Desalination plant output hits record high". The Namibian . Windhoek, Namibia. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
6. Google (21 August 2021). "Road Distance Between Wlotzkasbaken, Namibia And Arandis, Namibia With Map" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
7. Jean Marie Takouleu (5 July 2022). "Namibia: Orano to equip its Erongo desalination plant with a 5 MWp solar park". Afrik21.africa. Paris, France. Retrieved 5 July 2022.

External links

• Orano gives Erongo desalinated water As of 18 May 2020.